I’m totally trying to be patient, but my seeds have been in peat pellets for 5 days now without breaking surface. I started by soaking for 24 hours in distilled water, then planted in peat pellets that had been soaked the day before. I put the pellets in my tent under a 150W LED light about 18 inches away; humidity is 60 percent and temp is 72-73 degrees. I sprayed the surface once a day, and three days after planting the pellets seemed dry so I watered them from the bottom. Surface of the peat pellet has been moist every time I’ve touched it.
Do my methods seem ok? Should I just be patient?? Any thoughts or advice are appreciated. Thanks!!!
After 5 days it’s likely they aren’t going to pop. You should try things just a bit diferently:
1/4 cup of distilled or R/O water, 1/2 teaspoon 3% peroxide. Seeds into water and placed in a warm dark location (I use the top of my cable box). Add 1/2 tsp peroxide every 24 hours and keep the seeds submerged until a visible tail forms. THEN put into a rapid rooter or my preference is a Solo cup full of coco or Promix with NO nutes. Dampened and a clear Solo cup over the top as a dome. When you water you will spray the inside of the clear cup with distilled.
The seedling extracts all of it’s moisture from the air for the first week or 10 days; watering soil does nothing for the seedling except perhaps drowning it. I mist morning and evening.
Lights 24 inches from soil layer, 24/0 light schedule until rooted. Then use whatever veg cycle you want. I prefer 16/8 but have gucci lights.
@Myfriendis410 I wish I knew about this process when germinating 5 WWA. Only one sprouted. I am surprised by the amount of peroxide used. My limited understanding is peroxides are an old time antibacterial that attacks a cells membrane. More importantly is its use in fighting COVID-19. I received a bulletin from our local health office giving a disinfecting spray recipe. This is from Rutgers.edu :
Hydrogen peroxide is typically sold in concentrations of about 3%. It can be used as is, or diluted to 0.5% concentration for effective use against corona viruses on surfaces. It should be left on surfaces for one minute before wiping.
a year ago I broke a seedling from it’s tap root, I put cloning root gel on it put in a rapid rooter. it not only survived it out performed any of the other plants I had that grow…
Soaking some new seeds using the method you specified. I’m using autoflower seeds; if I decide to use Promix for my seedlings, will transplanting become an issue? I’ve heard autoflowers are sensitive to that.
Also, sorry if this is redundant, but if you’re using two solo cups for seedlings (one as a humidity dome) does it matter where in the house you put them? Is it useful to use a propagator or does the solo cup serve that purpose?
Well; once the seed sprouts and is put in a Solo cup you will be exposing that to 24/0 light so really wherever you were planning on growing these would do fine. I built a little styrofoam box that I can put a 150 watt LED fixture on top of and manage for temps. If you can hit 78F and hold that it would be perfect. A cardboard box or one of those Sterilite tubs will work too.
Transplanting from the Solo cup to final pot size is best. If using Promix; 5 or 7 gallon work. Feed lightly as your small plants will drown if media is saturated. Low TDS to start: like 250 ppm or so, working up over a couple of weeks to a full strength of around 700 ppm. Be moderate with all of your numbers and the plant will tell you if you need to up the feed numbers. I’m in flower and holding 800 ppm with full flowering schedule in General Hydroponics Flora series.
Thanks so much again for all the help!! This forum has been a great resource.
Last question on this thread: I’m using northern lights autoflower seeds this time, but I’m about to order more for a second attempt. Any recommendations on different strains to try?
If there isn’t going to be any overlap between this grow and the next (like sharing a light/light schedule) then try photoperiod. I’ve never understood why new growers are told to start with autos.
What climate are you in? Average temps and humidity. I looked you up. Summer humidity can be a real issue when plants are in late flower. Plan to lower your humidity when the time comes.
Got it, that’s interesting. I’ll try some photoperiods! I’m in Chicago, so drastically different temps year round but mostly high humiditY, 65-75 percent year round. I’m growing indoors in a tent where I seem to be able to control the humidity pretty easily with a humidifier, although it seems tough to get the temp above 73. It’s a small tent (2/2/4 feet) so down the line (once I figure this out a little more) I’m considering adding a bigger one for flowering and using the smaller one for veg.
